I just got off a conference call with David McInnis, founder of PRWeb, where he announced several recent and brand new services.
PRWeb has been diligent in creating the leading direct to consumer press release distribution model to-date. Currently, around 1000 press releases are sent out a day.
PRWeb has positioned themselves as the first Web 2.0 press release distribution platform and has hired a new Web 2.0 content manager.
New PRWeb Services:
301url.com launched Dec 2005. Different than other url shortening services because it permanently redirects. Helps to avoid breaking urls. Good for bookmarking by making easy to recall urls. Also, free.
PRWebPhotowire.com launched Jan 2006. Upload a high resolution image for free. Similar to APphotowire which charges $900. Press release data can be embedded into the image file, which can be read by image search engines, and media data bases. May also be picked up by some search engine spiders. Press release on PRWeb Photowire.
RSSPad.com – a way to create RSS feeds without a blog.
Newest service – Trackbacks are enabled with press releases. Trackbacks are enabled by default, but can be changed to moderate all trackbacks or turned off. Trackbacks will create an incentive for blogs to link to your press release because if they do, it creates a link back to them. PRWeb have enabled anti-trackback spam controls and the funtionality is enabled for PRWeb Photowire as well.
McInnis commented that such a tool enables more conversation within the web community and is in line with PRWeb’s position as a Web 2.0 press release distribution company.
PRWebPodcast.com – (launching next week) A new podcasting platform at PRWeb will be launched on Monday. $200 press releases will qualify for a free PRWeb podcast. The podcast would be requested when the press release is ordered through the advanced tools at your PRWeb.com account. Then you can schedule a call and a PRWeb interviewer will do a 5-7 min discussion on the topic of the press release. You can also suggest your own questions to be asked. After the recording, PRWeb will produce it into a professional sounding Podcast.
You can suggest your own interviewer as well. This means there will be a podcast and RSS feed available for each $200 (or more) release. The podcast service will become available next week.
Also in support of podcasts, PRWeb has been running a “February is PRWeb Podcast Month” promotion where they will pick up to 5 releases per day that announce a podcast and upgrade them to the $200 level for free.
Wow Lee! Sounds like an *amazing* conversation – thx for sharing!
Yes, it was a good call. Very interesting times ahead for PRWeb that’s for sure.
I’ll give you one link Mark, but not two. 😉
Excellent synopsis, Lee. Here I am editing my call notes, and you lead the charge with an excellent roundup.
What really impresses me about PRWeb is that they could have parked their technology last summer and continued to be the leader in direct-to-consumer PR. Instead David, Al and friends at PRWeb continue to crank out open-access, Web2.0 social media technologies, and things that really echo their tagline “The Online Visibility Company”.
Looking forward to plugging into all these great new toys.
Best,
Mark Alan Effinger
Hi Lee,
I’m new to the new “web-wide” PR approach. In the old days, there was an actual business relationship, and the publicists and editors actually talked. My question is, where does the local media find their news? Are they just pulling stuff of the web from all these “free press release submission” sites?